Conversations with Bethany Flores

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Flores

Hi Bethany, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Bethany; and my coworkers say there’s not a job I haven’t done. I’ve been a florist, bartender, police dispatcher, elementary school teacher, barre instructor, and am currently a brand educator and an independent salon owner.

My father is the child of immigrant parents, so the values of sacrifice and hard work have transcended space and time; and are now engrained in my DNA. After high school I enrolled at 1/10 federally recognized work colleges in the US (Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL), was also a two-sport collegiate athlete playing soccer & tennis, all while working one of the various jobs mentioned above.

I am the baby of five, and have a sister within a year, and a gap between the oldest three. Brandy and I became the models for their artistry. We’ve donned avant-garde creations inspired by whatever styling products, makeup, and wardrobe choices were available to them. So many of my core memories have been inspired by or connected to beauty. My middle sister once attempted to flat iron my hair with an iron before smoothing irons were popular and available. My childhood best friend and I would recreate Christina Aguilera videos, fully in character, with tiny braids and bandana tops.
Eventually I went from being the model to the artist, creating simple styles on my friends, and getting an airbrush makeup kit. This pattern continued as I went on to be an elementary school teacher, and magnified when I started styling weddings on the side.

While my time as an elementary teacher only equates to half the time I’ve been behind the chair; but I always credit my success as a stylist to that experience. Being a formally trained educator has allowed me to properly communicate with all learning styles to effectively consult, outline clear expectations and outcomes, and make successful retail recommendations based on the science behind it all.

The first half of my career has been spent as a stylist, and in salon leadership. In recent years I have gravitated back to education and am currently representing a Swedish haircare company that is 100% vegan and supports the salon professional! This allows me to educate and help mentor stylists from all over the country, travel, and meet other hairdressers & like-minded individuals.

A wise man once said “success unshared is failure”, and I wholeheartedly agree. My journey thus far has taught me that following your heart and intuition will always take you exactly where you’re meant to be, and if you are a good steward of opportunity, life will continue to open up in ways you can’t imagine!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I was an elementary school teacher, I transitioned from 3rd to 4th grade and by proxy had some of the students from the year prior. Unfortunately, one of them was diagnosed with cancer in the middle of our second school year together. As it progressed, we did home to school teaching as we could, but the following year he succumbed to his battle. As a young adult it was extremely hard to witness how his little body changed over time and has stayed with me since.

It can be hard to find the right salon. The right cosmetology school will expose you to multiple models, but most new stylists don’t have the enough knowledge to make an informed decision that aligns with their needs. My best piece of advice is do not sign a contract — or have a legal professional review one before you do. And don’t be afraid to say no or change your mind. This is your professional reputation and your happiness at stake.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve worked in salon leadership since my first year out of school. It started by screening and interviewing candidates over the phone in my first location, and my most recent work has been with a salon & med spa helping to create and implement policies and procedures to grow, manage, and track their teams.

My authenticity, ability to communicate effectively, and dedication to help others has cultivated positive relationships amongst my colleagues and students. I am proud to be known as someone who is solution oriented, and an advocate for transparency and fairness.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I grew up in a neighborhood with SO many other kids – and of all ages. We would be out until dark playing flashlight tag, swimming in someone’s pool, toilet papering each other’s houses, catching lightning bugs, and stealing our parents spare change to buy things from the concession stand at the little league fields across the street.

As a 90’s baby, my childhood was spent outside but included many of technology’s firsts. We saw the creation of home computers and dial-up internet, cell phones, social media, etc. It feels special to have maintained the innocence of childhood during a time when the way the world connected & communicated was changing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @bfloreshair
• Other: https://www.vagaro.com/floandconwi